St. Paul, Minnesota — The Minnesota House DFL elected state Representative Melissa Hortman Speaker of the House-designate at their organizational caucus this evening. Representative-elect Ryan Winkler was elected House Majority Leader.

“I am honored to have the support of my colleagues to serve as Speaker of the House and start our work to build a Minnesota that works better for everyone,” said Hortman. “We’re excited to work with Governor-elect Walz and Lieutenant Governor-elect Flanagan to make progress on our shared vision for One Minnesota.”

“My job as Majority Leader will be to make sure the Minnesota House reflects the values of Minnesotans: civility, cooperation, and advancing an agenda that serves people in all parts of the state and from all backgrounds,” said Winkler. “I thank my colleagues for trusting me with this leadership role.”

Representative Liz Olson was elected Majority Whip. Olson represents Duluth and will be serving her second term.

The DFL majority will consist of 75 members, pending a possible recount in District 5A.

Speaker of the House-Designate Melissa Hortman served the past two years as House Minority Leader. She was first elected in 2004.

Majority Leader Winkler previously served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2007-2015, and was elected again this year.